MONSIGNOR PAUL CRONIN

Monsignor Paul Cronin is the present parish priest of Ponsonby and has a strong connection to the area. He was born in Ponsonby Road, in a nursing home that stood alongside what is now Joe's Bargain House.  Monsignor Cronin was baptised at the old O'Neill Street church, he made his first communion there and said his first Mass in the old wooden building. Monsignor Cronin was educated at Trinity Street School, Herne Bay, and Marist Brothers in Vermont Street before moving to Wellington for his secondary education at St. Patrick's College, Silverstream.

After college he entered the Holy Cross College at Mosgiel and was ordained in 1954.
Now many years later he finds himself as spiritual director of the very same seminary he attended but now relocated just down the road from Sacred Heart Church in Vermont Street.

The first two years of his priesthood were served in Frankton and then a further two years in Hamilton before being attached to St.Patrick's Catherdral.

  Archbishop James Liston then decided to appoint him naval chaplain at HMNZS Philomel and Tamaki in Auckland. The Monsignor is no stranger to the military life with his father serving in the NZ Army for 33 years reaching the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major. Monsignor's naval career was to last some 17 years and he served those latter years as the Principal Defence Chaplain for the Defence Forces in Wellington.  This was the first time a Roman Catholic had held the post.

Then came a move to Glen Eden for four years and a further ten years in Devonport before moving to our parish in February 1999.

Aside from his parish and seminary responsibilities Monsignor Cronin is the Chancellor of the Diocese of Auckland and as such an advisor to Bishop Pat Dunn.

Monsignor has a vision for our parish:

"Socio-economic patterns have changed the pattern of Ponsonby.  I want to see the unity of the different ethnic groups in our community and to restore the vibrancy of parish life that was so much a part of our past."
"The universality of the Church is very evident in our community here."